Former Air Force Headquarters Legal Office Chief Jeon Ik-su, identified as responsible for the inadequate initial investigation into the death of Air Force sexual assault victim, the late Sergeant Lee Ye-ram. [Photo by Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] Jeon Ik-su, former Legal Affairs Director of the Air Force Headquarters (28), who was identified as responsible for the inadequate investigation into the death of Air Force Sergeant Lee Ye-ram, a victim of sexual violence, has filed an appeal with the Ministry of National Defense on the 28th against his demotion from Brigadier General to Colonel.
According to the military, the disciplinary action to demote Jeon by one rank was approved by the Ministry of National Defense on the 18th and ratified by President Yoon Seok-yeol on the 22nd. Under the Military Personnel Act, if a person subject to disciplinary action files an appeal, an Appeal Review Committee is convened to decide whether to cancel or reduce the punishment. Upon receiving Jeon's appeal on this day, the Ministry of National Defense plans to review the schedule for convening the committee.
Jeon was suspected of being responsible for the inadequate initial investigation during the process leading to the extreme choice made by Sergeant Lee Ye-ram of the Air Force 20th Fighter Wing, who was sexually harassed by a senior non-commissioned officer on March 2 of last year and during the military prosecution investigation in May 21 of the same year.
The military prosecution was embroiled in controversy over inadequate investigation for failing to investigate the perpetrator even after Sergeant Lee’s death. Although they later conducted an investigation and sent 15 people to trial, the legal affairs leadership, including Jeon, was not prosecuted due to insufficient evidence.
Following public criticism of the inadequate investigation, the special prosecutor team led by Ahn Mi-young launched an investigation and on September 9 sent eight additional individuals related to the case, including Jeon, to trial.
Jeon is currently on trial for allegedly coercing a military prosecutor by phone, claiming "the arrest warrant was wrong," after an arrest warrant was requested in July last year for Yang Mo (49), a civilian employee who provided him with classified information related to the case (charge of coercion under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes). There has been no evidence revealed that he directed the non-custodial investigation of the perpetrator.
The Ministry of National Defense, based on the special prosecutor team’s investigation results, has judged that there were errors in Jeon’s investigation leadership and has been pursuing disciplinary action separately from the trial.
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